Skid and truck.



PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907.

F. W. YOUNG. SKID AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIOE.

FREDERICK W. YOUNG, OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT M. PEARCE. OF ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

SKID AND TRUCK- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

To rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Island, Rock Island county, Illinois, (post-oflice address No. 215 Twentieth street, Iiock Island, Illinois,) have invented a certain Improved Skid and Truck, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehending a combined skid and truck will be readily understood from the following description, taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my skid and truck when adjusted into truck form;Fig. 2, a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 3 a longitudinal section of the structure when adjusted into skid form.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a pair of side rails; 2, cross-ties uniting them; 3, the rear ends of the rails, the same being given a handle form l, downwardly-open hooks at the rear ends of the rails, these hooks being adapted to engage the usual tail-rod of a vehicle, after the manner of ordinary skids, these hooks being preferably in the form of bent straps, having their heels pivoted under the ends of the rails so that the hooks may occupy an active position at the extreme rear ends of the rails or be turned out of use either inwardly between the rails or against the outside of the rails; 5, an end-gate having a pair of arms with their heels pivoted to the inner sides of the rails at points some distance rearward of the front ends of the rails, the length of the arms being such that when the arms project forward from their pivots the cross-bar connecting the arms and forming the end-gate proper will be near the extreme forward end of the rails and project itself upwardly above the top surface of the rails and serve as a stop for articles tending to slide forwardly upon the rails, the end-gate structure having the capacity for being folded rearwardly upon its pivots, so as to lie between the rails and project no por tion above their tops; 6, a pair of arms disposed exterior to the rails and having their heels pivoted to the rails at points intermediate their ends, the length of the arms and the position of their pivots being such that when the arms project forward from their pivots their forward ends will be in the neighborhood of the forward ends of the rails, while when they are turned rearwardly their free ends will be at about the center of length of the rails; 7, truck-wheels mounted at the free ends of these arms; 8, the pivots uniting the inner ends of the arms 6 to the rails 9, the shaft of the truck wheels, the same extending across from one arm 6 to the other and having the truckwheels mounted upon it; 10, a latchment, illustrated as a simple spring-clip presenting its open jaws downwardly, adapted to receive and retain the shaft when the arms 6 are turned rearwardly; 1 1, the pivots uniting the arms of the end-gate to the rails, and 12 a caster-wheel under the rear end of the structure.

When the structure is adjusted into the condition illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it serves as a truck, the end-gate 5 preventing loads from sliding off the rails when their handle ends are elevated, the wheels 7 serving as the truck-wheels proper, the caster 12 serving as a rear rest for the truck and facilitating its movements when both ends of the struc ture are supported by the floor, and the latchnient 10 being without present office. In Fig. 2 one of the hooks 4 is illustrated in active position merely for purposes of clear delineation, In practice when the device is used as a truck both hooks will be preferably gotten out of the way by being swung to positions inside or outside the rails. The presence of the hooks at the ends of the handles is, however, not objectionable, and the construction permitting them to be swung away from active position is a mere preference.

VVhen the device is to be used as a skid, then the parts are put into the position indicated in Fig. 3. The end-gate is swung to the rear, so as to be entirely out of the way, the yoke structure formed by the arms 6 and the shaft is swung to rearward position, bringing the truck-wheels under about the center of length of the rails, and the hooks, in case they are arranged to be turned out of the way, are swung to active position at the rear ends of the rails. The structure may now be wheeled around conveniently and its rear end may be elevated and hooked to the tail-rod of a vehicle and the skid employed in the manner usual with skids, the front ends of the rails resting on the floor or sidewalk. WVhen the rear end of the structure is thus supported in elevated position, the wheels 7 are prevented from downward displacement by reason of the latchment 10 retaining their shaft. In ordinarily transporting the skid from one place to another the wheels 7 may occupy the central or skid position, in which position the structure is fairly balanced upon them and the front end of the rails is left free for direct contact with the floor; but, if desired, the wheels may be left in the truck position and serve in transporting the skid, though in unbalanced condition, and when the skid is in use as a skid its lower end would be supported by the wheels.

The material and details of construction of the general frame is of course subject to any reasonable variations, the framed wooden construction illustrated being merely an eX- emplifying one. It is, however, important that the construction be such that when the device is put into skid form the upper surfaces of the rails shall be unobstructed so as to form a clear runway from end to end.

I claim v In a skid and truck, the combination, substantially as set forth, of a pair of rails whose upper surfaces form an unobstructed runway, the rear ends of the rails being formed as handles, cross bars connecting the rails, downwardly-o en hooks movably mounted upon the hand e ends of the rails and adapted to be moved out of the way of the handles, arms pivoted to the sides of the rails, a shaft carried by the free ends of the arms, and wheels carried by the shaft, the arms being so pivoted to the rails that the shaft and wheels may alternatively occupy positions at the front end of the rails or at substantially the mid-length of the rails.

FREDERICK W. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM B. MCINTYRE, WM. DE BEAULIEU. 

